Touchdown Belt

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a spectator accessory in the form of a belt having a central emblem adorned with a screen printed image of a sport team&#39;s logo. The emblem contains a battery which powers an array of LED lights. On the bottom of the emblem is a toggle switch to turn on the lights when appropriate.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) fromU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/810,652 filed Apr. 10,2013, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “Touchdown Belt.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of sports, and morespecifically to the field of light emitting accessories for sports fans.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for light emittingaccessories. Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,206 to Claude Deutsch describes an electricallycontrolled optical display apparatus for embellishing or decorating adesign on a garment. A removable display apparatus has lamps andelectrical connectors disposed in a composite removable patch on aninside the garment. The lamps project outside the garment and are heldby elastic clamping members surrounding the luminous heads of the lamps.

US Patent to 2005/0030612 to Shunpei Yamazaki and Noriko Shibatadescribes a process of successively forming from an EL layer, a cathode,a barrier layer and a cover layer in the same multi chamber. The ELlayer, cathode, barrier layer and cover layer are formed in the samemulti chamber in succession by using a same film deposition method toform the EL layer and the cover layer. A sealed structure of an ELelement is formed.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,543 to Michael Larry Ritter describes a lightemitting head accessory including an array of light emission devicespositioned on a front surface of a strip of flexible material, a logiccircuit, a power source, and an input device. The logic circuit isconnected to the array of light emission devices and programmed tocreate arrangements on the array of light emission devices byilluminating a plurality of light emission devices in the array of lightemission devices. The power source provides power to the array of lightemission devices and the logic circuit. The input device is connected toand instructs the logic circuit to display various arrangements on thearray of light emission devices.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to ,provide a spectatoraccessory in the form of a belt to show support for a favorite team.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prototypical illustrative top view showing an elastic belt,belt clips, a team emblem and name, and team colors lighting up from acenter to an outer edge.

FIG. 2 is a prototypical front view showing a team emblem, lights andfront facing edges of the belt clips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Showing support for one's favorite team is an engrossing part of anysports fan's regular routine. People advertise their support ofdifferent teams and players, a behavior which allows an ardent fan todevelop a specific personal relationship with the involved team. Alltypes of different promotional ephemera related to sporting teams havedeveloped as a result of this infatuation, from giant foam fingers andbanded sports jerseys to posters and bobble head dolls honoring prolificplayers. Tuning into the pervading ethic of one's team is a great way tofind recognition in an existent community and to encourage one's family,friends and coworkers to get on the bandwagon. Supporting a local teamis an important part of integrating oneself into a community at large.As cheering on sports teams during regular events is an important partof social construct in many different jurisdictions, participation inthis regular exuberance is an emotionally beneficial pastime for allmanner of committed fans.

Celebrating scoring is perhaps the most exuberant part of any sportsfanaticism. Whenever a favored team manages to secure one or morepoints, its fans are programmed to celebrate with one another in thestands or in front of their television sets at home. Furtherencouragement like fireworks, sirens, flashing lights and otherdistractions are built right into the fabric of the game, encouraging anattitude of rampant celebration whenever scoring occurs. This persistentstimulation leads fans to embrace all manner of useful devices capableof further broadcasting their ebullient exhilaration to everyone in thelocal vicinity. From compressed air powered horns to large and gaudybanners, these devices help to reinforce the attitude that winning iseverything and the selected team is ultimately destined to win.Encouraging fan participation in goal celebrations is an important partof inculcating a codependent relationship between players and fans.Every professional sports team benefits from encouraging greater andmore effervescent celebration by its supporters whenever a goal issecured.

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as the Touchdown Belt,provides dedicated fans with a simple and effective accessory tobroadcast their celebration upon witnessing a scoring. Wearing aTouchdown Belt emits a spectacular and topical light show to all memberswithin the wearer's immediate vicinity. The Touchdown Belt provides anappealing and visible way for sports fans to show support for theirselected team and to vibrantly participate in post goal or post gamecelebrations. The Touchdown Belt incorporates the latest in modern lightemitting diode technology to ensure that fan celebration is easily andeffectively broadcast to anyone in visible range.

The highly visible and functional Touchdown Belt is constructed fromplastic, elastic, nylon or leather with a two secure metal or plasticclasps or clips 16. The central emblem 20 is adorned with a screenprinted image of the team's logo. This emblem 20 contains a smallrecessed compartment capable of holding a lithium battery. Thiscompartment is protected by a small snap on closure that is easilyopened, so a battery is replaced easily by hand. Power leads from thissmall battery are connected to small toggle switch 12 on the lower faceof the emblem's front which is connected to four strands of high powerlight emitting diodes 14 extending away from the emblem 20 in bothdirections on the upper and lower edges of the belt's material. TheseLED arrays 14 are woven directly into the material of the belt 18, butare exposed enough to remain visible to onlookers. They colors of thevarious LEDs in the design are selected to match the dominant colors ofthe team being promoted. The LEDs are wired to light up in sequence,moving from one to the next, which creates the illusion of movement fromthe belt emblem out to the edges of the arrangement. Various differentpatterns of flashing and movement are possible. These patterns areswapped by simply flipping the present invention's toggle switch backand forth. Each time the present invention is turned on, it cycles tothe next available display pattern, ensuring that those who areobserving the user never find the display monotonous or annoying.

Using the Touchdown Belt is relatively easy. First, the user locates andpurchases a belt that is appropriately adorned to recognize the prowessof whichever team the user supports. These belts are available at a fanstore in a local area or an online retailer specializing in sports fanparaphernalia. The Touchdown Belt is available in extra small, small,medium, large and extra large sizes. Once an appropriately sizedTouchdown Belt is acquired, a user purchases batteries and secures themin the battery compartment on the rear of the belt buckle. Once the beltis thus arrayed, it is secured about one's waist. The Touchdown Belt isworn inside the belt loops of a regular pair of pants. Relying on simpletension to keep it properly located on a user's frame, the presentinvention also is wearable on the outside of one's outfit.

With the belt so attached, the user now is ready to participate inobserving a game, either in person at a sports arena or from acomfortable seat in front of a television at home or with friends.Whenever the user's favored team scores a goal, the wearer flips theTouchdown Belt's toggle switch 12, causing a cascade of delightfulcolors to flow forth and illuminate the immediate area and encouraging ageneral level of exhilaration throughout the gathered celebrants. Oncethe celebratory moment has waned, the wearer switches the toggle switch12 to its “Off” position and the belt's vibrant light display ceases.Upon the next scoring incidence, the wearer switches the belt to an “On”position again, causing pulsing and flashing in a different yet equallycelebratory manner.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and variousmodifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skillin the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings and the appended claims.

1. A spectator accessory in the form of a belt to show support for afavorite team, comprising: a belt having a central emblem adorned with ascreen printed image of a team logo, wherein the emblem contains arecessed compartment capable of holding a battery, and wherein thecompartment is protected by a small snap on closure that is easilyopened and battery replaced.
 2. The spectator accessory of claim 1wherein power leads from the compartment are connected to a toggleswitch on the lower face of the front of the emblem, wherein the emblemis connected to strands of light emitting diodes forming LED arraysextending away from the emblem in both directions on the upper and loweredges of the belt.
 3. The spectator accessory of claim 2 wherein the LEDarrays 14 are woven directly into the belt and are exposed enough toremain visible to onlookers.
 4. The spectator accessory of claim 2wherein the LED arrays are colors of the dominant colors of a sportsteam.
 5. The spectator accessory of claim 2 wherein the LED arrays arewired to light up in sequence, moving from one to the next, whichcreates the illusion of movement from the belt emblem out to the edgesof the arrangement.
 6. The spectator accessory of claim 2 wherein thebelt is constructed from plastic, elastic, nylon or leather.
 7. Thespectator accessory of claim 6 wherein the belt further comprises twosecure metal or plastic clasps or clips.